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 Major-general George H. Thomas 
 
 Of the Army of the United States 
 
^ajor=gencral ©eorgc t>. tlbomas 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 LOYAL, COURAGEOUS, INCORRUPTIBLE. 
 
 HONORS FROM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. 
 
 FEBRUARY, 1898. 
 
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MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS. 
 Born Southampton County, Virginia, July 31. 1816. 
 
MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS. 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS was un- 
 doubtedly one of the noblest figures in our Civil 
 War. First, because — being a Virginian — he did 
 not strike a blow at the mother who educated him, as so 
 many did; second, because of his very wise and able con- 
 duct as an officer ; and, lastly, because of his disinterested 
 and noble conduct subsequently. I am, I suppose, the only 
 person living seized of a certain fact illustrating this ; and I 
 feel impelled to make it public. After one of his important 
 victories, resulting in the protection of Cincinnati, several 
 gentlemen of that city made up a purse of $12,000, I think, 
 to be presented to him. This he steadily refused to receive, 
 stating that his principles obliged him to refuse to receive any 
 pecuniary reward for doing his duty as a public officer. The 
 approbation of his fellow-citizens was honor enough for him. 
 
At the time I was reading Montesquieu's "Spirit of Laws." 
 This great author writes : — 
 
 " In a popular state one spring is necessary ; namely, 
 virtue." (Book III., chap, iii.) 
 
 " Virtue is a self-renunciation which is always arduous and 
 painful. This virtue may be defined the love of the laws and 
 of our country. As this love requires a constant preference of 
 public to private interest, it is the source of all the particular 
 virtues ; for they are nothing more than this very preference 
 itself." (Book IV., chap, v.) 
 
 " Virtue in a republic is a most simple thing. It is a love 
 for the republic : it is a sensation, and not a consequence of re- 
 quired knowledge, — a sensation that may be felt by the meanest 
 as well as by the highest person in the State. When the com- 
 mon people adopt good maxims, they adhere to them steadier 
 than those we call gentlemen. It is very rare that corruption 
 commences with the former. Nay, they frequently derive from 
 their imperfect light a stronger attachment to the established 
 laws and customs." (Book V., chap, iv.) 
 
 " In a republic presents are odious, because virtue stands in 
 no need of them. It is in conformity to republican ideas that 
 
Plato ordered those who received presents for doing their duty 
 to be punished with death. 'They must not take presents,' 
 said he, ' neither for good or for evil actions.' " (Book V., 
 chap, xvii.) 
 
 It seemed to me that General Thomas was illustrating these 
 principles, and I sent copies of these words to him. I re- 
 ceived an answer from him, thanking me, and approving of the 
 ideas of the great French author. This letter I have unfortu- 
 nately lost. There may be other officers that have done the 
 same thing, but I do not know of it. What a reproof to the 
 thousands of so-called veterans drawing the life-blood out of 
 their country which they did nothing to defend, and hounding 
 those who dare to protest against such conduct ! 
 
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% I AJOR-GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS graduated 
 yv 1 from West Point in 1840, served through the Seminole and 
 Mexican Wars and the Civil War, and remained in the 
 army till his death. 
 
 The portrait is from a photograph taken at Nashville in 1865, and 
 now owned by William H. Lambert. We are permitted to present 
 it here through the very great kindness of S. T. McClure Company 
 and Paul Dana of New York. 
 
 He died March 28, 1870, in San Francisco, Cal. ; was buried in 
 
 " Oakwood," Troy, N.Y. The photograph of his monument was 
 
 made by Mr. George B. Pattison of that city, and kindly presented to 
 
 me for this purpose. The wreath was placed there by me. 
 
 B. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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